Shoe material



Patented Oct. 30, `1934 1,978,545YV snoE MATERIAL James A. Muir, Baltimore, Md., assignor to Crown Cork & Seal Company, Inc., Baltimore, Md., a corporation of New York Application February 26, 1932, Serial No. 595,373'

iz claims.

' The present invention relates to a new and improved sueded same.

An important feature of the invention is to provide a cork product composed of sheet cork or cork composition, to the surface of which, is applied by an adhesive coating, short textile fibers or other flocculent material such as wool or cotton flock, to form a durable shoe material product having a smooth sueded surface of attractive appearance and which is especially suited for use as an insole for shoes, slippers and the like.

Heretofore, in the use of cork insoles of this character, it has been necessary, due to the rough article and method of making the rate covering strip so as to provide a smooth and comfortable surface for rthe foot. The. sueded cork product formedby the present invention is admirably suited 4for use as an insole, since it has an vexposed smoothsurface that is devoid of the undesirablerough texture of the sheet cork A 310 or flock are connected to the cork sheet or cork composition by a rubber compound, such as light elastic gum cement, to provide an exceptionally durable and rugged wearing surface.

Other objects and advantages of the inventio will become apparent from the following description when taken in conjunction with the following claims and drawing. Referring to the drawing in which is illustrated several preferred embodiments of the invention: Figure l is a perspective view of an insole made in accordance with the invention;

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 2--2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a perspective View of a modified form l5 of the invention; A Figure 4 is a'sectional view taken substantially along the line 4 4 of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a sectional View of a further modincation; and lio Figure 6 is a sectional view of another form of the invention.

Referring to the drawing in which like numern als indicate like'parts in the several views, 10 denotes. a cork insole for shoes, slippers or the like, which is preferably composed o. i base 11 01EA sheet surface texture of the material, to employ a sepasueded material in which the short textile fibers cork or cork composition formed of comminuted or ground cork, which, after being thoroughly mixed with a binder, is passed through a calendar to form a flexible and compact sheet. The upper surface of the cork base 11 is then coated 60 with adhesive material 12 on which is sprinkled or blown minute textile fibers or other flocculent material 13 such as flocks of wool or cotton to provide an exposed sueded surface.

As an alternative procedure the flock may be 35 applied to the cork composition sheet while the binder of the sheet is soft, thereby constituting the binder as the adhesive for uniting the flock to the sheet and making unnecessary the later application of an adhesive coating. `It will be understood, therefore, that in this procedure, as well as in the previously described method, I provide a cork composition sheet having an adhesive surface and apply flocculent material to such surf face.

While any suitable adhesive may be employed, it has been found that an eicient binder is obtained by mixing oxidized linseed oil or other allied oils together with kauri gum androsin. Also a binder of the varnish type in which pyroXylin and varnish oils are incorporated with a suitable drier may be used. The surplus flock is then removed by a vacuum or the like and the 'material may be passed through a suitable drier to properly cure the adhesive.

The shoe material formed, provides a product which, on one side, has the natural color of cork, and on the other side the appearance of sueded leather or mole-skin and because of its relative lightness, flexibility, resiliency, insulating, 4cusli- 90 ioning, and Ventilating properties, may be apl plied to various uses. The combination of the cork and suede impart to the insole the desired resiliency and smoothness and also acts as a shock absorber to produce the same cushion effect 95 as rubber, but which eliminates rubber completely frorn the composition, since the latterhas a tendency, when used in an insole, dtfqd`1'atv in the foot and make the shoe feel uncomfortable.

The cork composition or a substitute thereof 14 100 (Fig. 3) may also have applied to its upper surface in its formative stage, a backing or carrier strip of reinforced fabric 15 which is embedded or keyed to the cork composition 14 in any suitable manner. Tothe fabric 15 is applied the adhesive 105 16 and the nocculent material 1'7l to provide a smooth exposed sueded surface. Y

, As shown in Figure 5, the cork composition 18 has applied to both sides thereof an adhesive v19 4 0n which is sprinkled the short nbers or ilocculent 110 material 20 to form a product having opposed sueded surfaces.

By the shoe material as referred to, is included upper material, insoles, box toes, counters, and other parts used in the construction of boots, shoes, and slippers.

Where it is desired to provide an especially durable sueded surface, instead of employing the` adhesive cement binder, there may bevsubstituted therefor, as shown in Figure 6, a rubber compound 21 such as elastic gum mixed with a latex composition. The rubber compound is first applied to the cork sheet or cork composition 22 to constitute a fill or anchor coat on the cork. Immediately, a second coat of elastic gum 23 containing therein fine particles of occulent material, textile fibers or their equvalent is compressed into the cork surface 22. While the surface of the elastic gum containing the occulent material is still sticky, additional dry fiock 24 is spread under pressure on the adhesive surface thusI formed. The surplus remaining ock is removed in any suitable manner, such as by suction or the like. The sheet material is then vulcanized, which results in the nished, smooth, sueded product, that is especially adapted foruse, where strength and durability without increased weight are desired, additionally, the sueded cork product, due to its waterproof properties, render it suitable as an economical substitute for rubber products such as raincoats and the like, yet is entirely free of the undesirable tendency of rubber to retain and condense moisture.

It is to be understood that the forms of the invention shown and described are merely illustrative of preferred embodiments and such changes may be made as fall within the purview of one skilled in the art and the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A new and improved process of forming' sueded material which consists in applying to a cork composition sheet gum cement, then applying a second coat of gum cement containing fine particles of ock or textile bers, and while the surface of cement containing the:V ock is sticky applying dry flock thereto.

2. A new and improved process of forming sueded material which consists in applying to a cork composition sheet gum cement, then applying a second coat of gum cement containing fine particles of ock or textile bers, while the surface of cement containing the ock is sticky applylng dry flock thereto,` and vulcanizing the lay- 5 5,

ers thus formed to provide a sueded surface.

3. As a. new article of manufacture, an insole comprising a exible and compact base formed of a mixture of comminuted cork and abinder, said base having a coatingof fiocculent material adhesively united thereto so as to form a sueded surface.

4. As a new article of manufacture, an insole including a calendered base of comminuted cork vlayer united thereto and a coating of i'locculent material adhesively united to the base to provide a smooth sueded surface.

5. As a new article of manufacture, an insole strip including a calendered base of comminuted cork and a binder mixture having a textile reinforcing layer united thereto and a coating of flocculent material adhesively united to the reinforcing layer to provide a smooth sueded surface.

6. As a new article of manufacture an insole comprising a iiexible and compact base formed of a mixture of comminuted cork and a binder, said4 base having'a coating of flocculent material adhesively united to each side thereof to provide outer sueded surfaces.

7. As a newy article of manufacture, an insole comprising a fiexible and compact base formed of a mixture of comminuted cork and a binder, said base having a coating containing particles of occulent material mixed throughout the body of the coating, and dry flock adhesively united to the coating to form a sueded surface.

8. The method of producing an insole which consists in forming a flexible and compact base from a mixture of comminuted cork and a binder, coating the base with` an adhesive and applying tothe adhesiva-coating before it hardens a flocculent material, thereafter permitting the adhesive to harden and form a smooth sueded surface. l

9. .f new and improved process of forming sueded shoe material which consists in forming a base of comminuted cork, the particles of which are adhesively connected by a binder, calendering the base to form a flexible and compact sheet, coating the base with adhesive and applying fiocculent material to the adhesive.

10. A new and improved process of forming sueded shoe material which consists in forming a .base of comminuted cork, the particles of which are adhesively united .by a binder, calendering the base to form a iiexible and compact sheet, coating the sheet with vulcanizable adhesive, applying flocculent material to the adhesive and vulcanizing the layers thus formed to provide a sueded surface.

11. A new and improved process of forming sueded shoe material which consists in forming a base of comminuted cork, the particles of which areA adhesively united by a binder, calendering the base to form a'flexible and compact sheet, coating the sheet with adhesive having flocculent material mixed in the Abody thereof, applying dry floc- .culent material to the coated surface, compressing the layers thus formed, removing' the surplus fibers and subjecting the material to a drying operation.

12. An insole having a base of comminuted cork land a suede-like surface affixed to one side of the ase.

JAMES A. MUIR.

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